FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT COLUMBIA MAN - PAGE 3

The crimes appear ordinary on Howard County's November police log - two break-ins on U.S. 1, another at a Columbia home where a television and video games were taken, and a man held up at gunpoint in the village of Kings Contrivance. But the Kings Contrivance robbery - described by police in a single sentence - was far from routine. It actually was an undercover police sting that went bad, targeting a Columbia resident and suspected Bloods gang member known as "Bloody Mike. " Documents filed more recently in federal court in Baltimore say a police informant was pistol-whipped and robbed in an apartment building while making an undercover gun buy - an isolated crime, but one that gives a glimpse into violent gangs and their reach into the suburbs.

A Columbia man has been charged with murder and arson in the death of his ex-wife and a subsequent fire at her condominium, according to Howard County police. Damon Willie White, who is in critical condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center, was charged Wednesday in the death of Thelma Wynn, 34, according to police spokesman Sherry Llewellyn. Firefighters arrived at a fire at Wynn's Columbia condominium in the 6000 block of Majors Lane at 2:42 p.m. Tuesday and found Wynn and 35-year-old White inside.

A 28-year-old Columbia man serving a 40-year prison sentence for attempted murder was given another five years in jail Tuesday after pleading guilty to robbery in an unrelated case. Gregory Imes Jr., formerly of the 5700 block of Harper's Farm Road, robbed another Columbia man in June 2008 of his wallet and cell phone after the man turned down Imes' offer to buy drugs. Imes was convicted of two counts of attempted second-degree murder and other charges last June after breaking into the home of a former girlfriend and assaulting her mother and another person.

The house fire that killed a 62-year-old Columbia man last week was set by the victim, Howard County police said Tuesday. Soo Wan Hong of the 7200 block of Riding Hood Circle had to be identified through dental records because his body was so badly burned, police said. "Our investigators took a number of things into account before making a determination that this was a suicide, including some of Mr. Hong's actions in the days leading up to the fire, as well as some information they gathered since the incident occurred, " police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said.

A 62-year-old Columbia man who died in a house fire Friday set fire to the residence, Howard County police said Tuesday. Soo Wan Hong of the 7200 block of Riding Hood Circle had to be identified through dental records because his body was so badly burned. Police and neighbors said that Hong lived alone and did not have any immediate relatives living in the United States, but through the police investigation, detectives determined that Hong had decided to take his own life.

A 42-year-old Columbia man was accosted by a man with a handgun early yesterday in the parking lot at Wilde Lake Village Center on Lynx Lane.The victim was sitting in his car when a man approached, pointed a handgun at him and demanded money. The gunman fled on foot when a Howard County police car pulled into the parking lot. Officers were unable to find him.The victim was not injured, and nothing was taken.The gunman is described as an 18- to 25-year-old, 5-foot-9-inch black male. He was wearing a dark jacket, pants and a knit cap.Pub Date: 10/25/96

A 36-year-old Columbia man wearing a white bra and panties behind the Columbia Inn in Town Center was arrested on indecent exposure charges, police said.Edgar Howard Bryant Jr. of the 7900 block of Guilford Road in Hickory Ridge village was charged early yesterday with indecent exposure and possession of marijuana. He was released on his own recognizance yesterday.Police said Bryant was sitting in front of the Columbia Inn in the 10200 block of Wincopin Circle about 2: 30 a.m. "rubbing his body in a sexual manner," according to court documents.

Howard County police said yesterday that they were continuing to investigate the Friday night shooting of a Columbia man. Officers responded at 8:29 p.m. to reports of shots fired and found Patrick N. O'Donnell, 22, on the sidewalk in the 8900 block of Tamar Drive, police said. O'Donnell, of the 5600 block of High Tor Hill, was treated for a gunshot wound to the left hip at Maryland Shock Trauma Center and released. No further information was available yesterday.

A Columbia man was seriously injured Thursday night when he lost control of his pickup truck in Ellicott City, Howard County police said. Kevin S. Sinnott, 48, of the 7400 block of Setting Sun Way was merging from U.S. 40 West onto U.S. 29 North just after 7 p.m. when he lost control of his Toyota Tacoma SR5 and crashed, police said. Sinnott was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was in fair condition last night.